What is pipe organ corals?

Pipe organ corals are a type of coral that belongs to the genus Tubipora. They are also known as the "organ pipe coral" or "red pipe coral" due to their resemblance to the pipes of a church organ.

These corals are found in warm, shallow waters in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Red Sea, the western Pacific, and the eastern Indian Ocean. They prefer to grow on sheltered reefs where they can attach themselves to hard surfaces, such as rocks or dead corals.

Pipe organ corals are colonial animals that consist of individual polyps that are interconnected by a fleshy tissue called coenosarc. Each polyp has eight tentacles surrounding a central mouth, which it uses to capture plankton and other small organisms.

The "pipes" of the corals are actually the skeletons of the polyps, which are made of calcite and have a distinctive red color. The polyps can retract into their protective tubes, which gives the coral a smooth surface when they are closed.

Pipe organ corals are popular in the aquarium trade due to their attractive appearance, but their collection and trade can have negative impacts on wild populations. They are also vulnerable to bleaching and disease outbreaks, which can have devastating effects on their growth and survival.